Complex systems challenges like those facing 21st-century humanity, require system-level solutions that avoid siloed or unnecessarily narrow responses. System-level biomimicry aims to identify and adopt design approaches that have been developed and refined within ecosystems over 3.8 billion years of evolution. While not new, system-level biomimetic solutions have been less widely applied in urban design than the ‘form’ and ‘process’ level counterparts. This paper explores insights from a selection of system-level case studies in the built environment, using meta-analysis to investigate common challenges and priorities from these projects to support knowledge-sharing and continued development in the field. Using a grounded research approach, common themes are distilled, and findings presented regarding success and barriers to implementation and scaling. Considering the findings, and drawing on complex adaptive systems theory, the paper posits opportunities to facilitate broader implementation and mainstreaming of system-level biomimetic design approaches in the built environment.

Anthropogenic climate change poses risks to transport infrastructure that include disrupted operations, reduced lifespan and increased reconstruction and maintenance costs. Efforts to decrease the vulnerability of transport networks have been largely limited to understanding projected risks through governance and administrative efforts. Where physical adaptation measures have been implemented, these have typically aligned with a traditional "engineering resilience" approach of increasing the strength and rigidity of assets to withstand the impacts of climate change and maintain a stable operating state. Such systems have limited agility and are susceptible to failure from "surprise events". Addressing these limitations, this paper considers an alternate approach to resilience, inspired by natural ecosystems that sense conditions in real-time, embrace multi-functionality and evolve in response to changing environmental conditions. Such systems embrace and thrive on unpredictability and instability. This paper synthesises key literature in climate adaptation and socio-ecological resilience theory to propose a shift in paradigm for transport infrastructure design, construction and operation, towards engineered systems that can transform, evolve and internally manage vulnerability. The authors discuss the opportunity for biomimicry (innovation inspired by nature) as an enabling discipline for supporting resilient and regenerative infrastructure, introducing three potential tools and frameworks. The authors conclude the importance of leveraging socio-ecological resilience theory, building on the achievements in engineering resilience over the past century. These findings have immediate practical applications in redefining resilience approaches for new transport infrastructure projects and transport infrastructure renewal.

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Environmental degradation is a complex global challenge requiring the urgent attention of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are collectively responsible for a large proportion of global pollution. For those SMEs who are still thinking about sustainability at the level of the organization and reducing its environmental damage, there must be an immediate shift in SME strategy and operations to consider planetary systems and practices that can regenerate ecosystems critical for the business's success. Responding to this urgent need, the authors were keen to identify how SMEs could move from “doing less bad” to “doing more good,” as a critically needed shift toward “regenerative business practice.” Using two case studies of Australian manufacturing sector SMEs already self-identified as regenerative business practices, their transition pathways and current operations were explored for insights and lesson learning that could be used to empower other SMEs. Collected interview data revealed three themes of priority during the two SMEs' journeys: (1) Organization and Nature conviviality; (2) Organizational freedom to innovate; and (3) Organizational innovative outlook. The SMEs' experiences were also explored in relation to an “Action Framework for Regenerative Business” developed by the authors. The framework draws on Stewardship Theory together with a set of “Principles and Strategies of Regenerative Business” for SMEs to consider their current operations and identify opportunities for their next steps accordingly. Such directed actions are imperative to move away from just “reducing pollution” to “restoring planetary systems,” demonstrating truly responsible consumption and production. Within the framework the authors add “advocate” to the existing stewardship roles of “doers,” “donors” and “practitioners,” which acknowledges the importance of this role in enabling SMEs to shift practices; in this case to regenerative business practice.